When I noticed that the other reviewers said it was weird, I was there in a heartbeat. And, yes, it is weird and unusual. The story line moves in a really unpredictable manner, and you keep watching to see what happens next. It's a mash-up of suspense, comedy, sci-fi, and drama. I really liked it, and found it much, much more entertaining than the vast majority of movies made on multiples of it's budget. I guess, when you can't spend, you've forced to think. All of the performances of the offbeat characters (nobody close to normal at all, with the possible exception of the seriously appealing girl-next-door neighbor) were very strong. The only problem I had with the movie was the ending, which I found too ambiguous, but then, I'm sure that that's what the filmmaker was aiming for. I don't actually mind ambiguity, but in this case, it just didn't work that well for me, although, on the other hand, I would hardly call it a fail. I guess that's a pretty ambiguous statement, but I am totally unambiguous about recommending this movie to other connoisseurs of the weird and wonderful.

Non-working Hollywood actor Jon Favreau (as John Person) is nearly $28,000 in debt. With no jobs on the horizon, Mr. Favreau accepts an ultra-weird offer from neighborly Bud Cort (as Neely), who wears a neck-brace. Pay attention; that another neighbor, Joey Lauren Adams (as Grace), first appears with a Band-Aid on her neck is a clue. Watch your necks. Favreau's mission is to deliver a locked, blue suitcase to a man called "Cowboy" (Sean Bean) in Baker, California. Reluctantly accepting the offer, Favreau meets all sorts of strange people in the transient town. They all eventually lead Favreau to an even stranger ending...Written and directed by Steve Anderson, "The Big Empty" seems to be a cross between David Lynch's "Twin Peaks" TV series and the "Heaven's Gate" cult of the 1990s. It's better than the former because Mr. Anderson's quirks lead to an ending, of sorts. Lynch's "log lady" never made as much sense; let's hope she found the right fireplace. The Heaven's Gate crowd, remember, committed mass suicide to board a spaceship they thought was somehow attached to the Hale–Bopp comet, which passed by Earth in 1997. Like the folks in this film, they prospective travelers wore brand new sneakers. Their bodies "lifted off" in groups of 15, also...While there are nods and winks to these and other stories, "The Big Empty" is an original work. Anderson appears to be a director to watch. The style and color photography, by Chris Manley, is stronger than the plot. The dozen characters are also more appealing than the story, with sexy Rachael Leigh Cook (as Ruthie) most impressive as a conquest out of Favreau's weight class and age group. Having infectious fun are jealous bf Adam Beach (as Randy), quirky hotel clerk Jon Gries (as L. Ron) and Brent Briscoe (as DAN). And, anyone who thinks they've had enough of Daryl Hannah (as Stella) should take another look at her...The ending song, "Honkytonk Maniac from Mars" by Jason Ringenberg, is very cool.****** The Big Empty (5/16/03) Steve Anderson ~ Jon Favreau, Rachael Leigh Cook, Sean Bean, Daryl Hannah

I've been to Baker. I swear the characters in the movie could easily be based on the real residents of this desolate town. Made me a little uncomfortable just thinking about being stranded there. Things could happen there that no one would ever know or care about.If you are confused when watching this then it's working. Don't try to figure it out and just enjoy the ride. Well acted. Uncle Rico was awesome! Great cast of characters. Frazier was an unexpected pleasure. This movie is more about the acting and the characters than anything else. We all have to make choices everyday and usually make the wrong ones. Make the choice to give this movie a chance.Keep your bags packed but don't open them unless you are ready to go on this trip.

I've just read a slew of reviews of this film. People really hate this movie and to be honest, I don't understand why. In The Big Empty, Jon Favreau plays an out of work actor who is hired/blackmailed by his landlord/neighbor (Bud Cort, aka Harold, of Harold and Maude) to deliver a briefcase to a Cowboy in the wastelands of Central California. He is reluctant, but has nothing better to do. He heads out, leaving Joey Lauren Adams in a neighboring apartment without any shoes. As he wanders through a stark, Bakersfieldian landscape seeking solace, and a violent Englishman in full-agg-hetero cowboy regalia, he is accosted by eldritch horrors, unspeakable fornications, vicious chainsaw wielding savages, and Frasier's Kelsey Grammar. Eventually, the weirdness stacks up until his disturbingly over-sized head is viciously exploded and his torso becomes a giant bowling ball. ...wait, that's not right. It's close though. This movie IS quirky and original. Don't let the naysayers fool you with their saying of nay. In this fine piece of cinema we encounter many elements that we've seen before, but they are cobbled together into a funny and cruel shoeful of surrealist whackiness. I laughed and was temporarily dumbstuck by the shear unpredictability of it all. The cast does a fine job, and should be given waffles and fine international syrups. If you're the type of person who is afraid of movies that you can't figure out in the first five minutes (or at all), go back to the DaVinci Code. You are not ready. --S.Casey Faulkner